Shapes
by Razell
Summary: A short story about Gelpess, OC Czyvek, and their friendship. Still under construction.


Shapes

Hamilcar Barcus, the ancient and venerable Zoalord founder CHRONOS, jumped on the mess hall table and began cabaret dancing while singing '_I am woman_.' Howls and cheers came from the assembled Zoanoids as 'Barcus' kicked his heels.

Several Zoanoids fell to ground in helpless laughter as Tora Kenishiro, AKA _Gelpess_, mocked their leader. Mikhail Czyvek shook his head, but laughed anyway. The sight of 'Lord Barcus' table-dancing was too much. Gelpess switched to '_I'm a little tea pot_,' and Czyvek broke down laughing.

Lord Barcus was, of course, very far away, else this performance might be a fatal one. Gelpess transformed into a chorus girl, much to the delight of the troops.

"Gelpess!" Everyone turned as the group Field Commander entered the mess hall, "Get down from there, soldier! This is a military base, not a dance hall!" Gelpess jumped down from the table and transformed into himself in a CHRONOS regulation blue and white uniform. He was a fairly small young man, with gray eyes and hair bleached white by his processing.

Czyvek stood, "He was acting under _my_ request soldier," Czyvek decided to pull rank, as Lord Purgstall's personal assistant, he had the authority. "The men need some entertainment."

The commander looked at the man in irritation. It was bad enough to have to kow-tow to a souped-up Razell, but to allow him to break discipline among the ranks under _his_ command . . .

Helpless, the commander turned and left the mess hall. Gelpess shrunk, grew furry and became ALF. "Well that was _rude_." He burped loudly, "I'm hungry. Anybody got a cat?"

Later;

"I don't think it's possible," Gelpess shrugged, "I just don't have the mass to achieve that kind of size, even as a shell."

Czyvek had been told several times about fluctuation in mass during Zoanoid transformations. He still had a hard time grasping how a 5'9" man weighing 190Ibs could become a 10' tall Gregole weighing almost a ton. He didn't want his friend to harm himself trying to become a giant slug.

"I could become a smaller version of Jabba, I think. Non-humanoids are pretty difficult." He grinned, "I could become _Princess Leia_ though."

"Be careful with that. Many of those guys haven't had female companionship for some time." Czyvek warned.

"Don't worry about me, my Freddy Krueger usually discourages anyone who get funny ideas." He paused, "I think Zorba looks cooler than Jabba, with his hardcore dreds."

"Rasta the Hutt?" Czyvek snorted, and the two broke out laughing.

Gelpess liked Mikhail Czyvek. Unlike most Hyper-Zoanoids, he didn't look down on the rank-and-file grunts and Lost Numbers. He looked past the Zoanoid designations to the names, the people. For a man who was second to a Zoalord, he was remarkably down to Earth. Unfortunately, Gelpess belonged to Lord Barcus, and even Lord Purgstall bowed to _him_. Czyvek couldn't help him in his unfortunate situation, but he could brighten it up a little.

"So, Mick, got any dirty little secrets to tell your old friend Ken? Does Commander Guyot really wear pretty pink dresses in his spare time?"

"One of these days, that mouth of yours is going to get you killed, Ken."

"Maybe. But why worry about that? Everybody dies, it's just a matter of when and how."

"It's the '_how_' that worries me. Some of these guys are real sadists."

"I know. Only a truly sick man could dress like old Barcus . . ."

"Ken," Czyvek's voice turned even more serious, "Does it seem to you that Aptom is becoming a bit . . . _Unstable_."

Gelpess shrugged, "All of us Lost Numbers are odd-balls. Aptom resents the way other Zoanoids treat us. And he really doesn't like how Barcus keeps screwing with his DNA, makin' him less and less human."

The Lost Numbers. Those few Zoanoids who could not be reproduced. They were unique. Gelpess. Aptom. Dyme. Somlum and numerous others scattered across the globe. Many Zoanoids looked at them as 'freaks' or 'mistakes', and scientists like Barcus saw them as interesting test subjects, not a pleasant position to be in. But there was something about Aptom that troubled Czyvek. There was a darkness there, a well-spring of rage waiting to overflow. Barcus couldn't see it. For a scientist, he had very narrow vision and almost no sense of empathy. His cruelty and short-sightedness would likely prove his undoing one day.

"So, how long are you staying this time?"

"I don't know. Lord Purgstall wanted to check on old man Makishima. If you ask me, they should throw him down the chute and put somebody else in charge."

"Amen to that, brother. Though, just between us, I doubt he'd fit." Gelpess transformed himself into Makishima Genzo, stuck out his fat belly and made a silly face, "I wonder how he made it to Sector Head, he sure didn't _bed_ his way to the top, unless Barcus is really, _really_ kinky."

Czyvek chose to ignore the dangerous remark. "Sheer ruthlessness. He is one of the most evil, sadistic creatures I have ever had the displeasure of meeting. One day CHRONOS will wise up and take him out."

"I hear he beats that kid of his." Gelpess shook his head sadly, "What are we fightin' for, if it puts scum like that in power?"

Czyvek smiled, "When the time comes, the scum will be swept away. It's coming soon, Ken."

Gelpess took on his Zoaform. He resembled a 6'11" bloated, veinous, bipedal Gila monster. "I hope so, Mick." His voice was a deep bass now, "I'd hate to have turned into _this_ for nothing . . ."

"Don't worry, you still look better than Makishima." He chuckled, "He's about Jabba's size . . ."

"What about that kid you were talking about? Ishi?"

It was odd to Czyvek, that he should be a 'talent scout' for CHRONOS Central Intelligence. Daigoro Ishimaru was a _panku_, a punk. A street kid who had seen too much and been processed into a Rocies. He had no real love for CHRONOS, but he could go far once he saw that people like Makishima Genzo didn't truly represent what they stood for. "He's a good kid. Highly intelligent, highly skilled. I'm going to recommend him to Lord Purgstall. In any case, I intend to offer him a place in the CCI."

"Maybe you could recommend _me_ for a promotion." Ken returned to human form and smiled, "_Zoalord_ Tora Kenishiro has a nice ring to it."

"If I became a Zoalord," Czyvek mused, "The first thing I'd do is brick up those damn chutes."

"No, the first thing you'd do is send old man Makishima down the chute, then you'd brick 'em up."

The chutes, or 'garbage disposals', as some Zoanoids grimly called them, were where Zoanoids who fell out of favor or just didn't make the cut ended up. They ended up in a super-heated, plasma-filled chamber where, if they were lucky, they were instantly incinerated. Some of them, the ones with extra-thick hides . . . Well, Gelpess didn't want to think about that.

"Hey, Dyme!" Gelpess shouted, and the lumbering Lost Number turned and smiled. Dyme was a big, bald man with the remarkable ability to literally merge with the land around him, plants, soil, mud, clay, etc . . . Czyvek liked Dyme, he was quiet and direct. He did his job, and he did it well.

"Gelpess, Mr. Czyvek." The large man gave a polite bow, "I was looking for Aptom. Have you seen him?"

"No, not today." Gelpess replied, "He's probably in the field. With Barcus gone, he can take time for himself." He looked beyond Dyme to a short, fat man with a thick mustache headed toward them. "Uh-oh."

Makishima Genzo walked down the hallway and stopped before Czyvek, his beady, piggish eyes trying to read the Hyper-Zoanoid's face, "Mr. Czyvek!" He forced a smile and a polite bow. Makishima was well aware that Czyvek despised him, and the feeling was mutual, but he still had authority with Lord Purgstall. "I hope you and your master are pleased with your observations of my work as director of CHRONOS Japan."

"I know you do." Czyvek replied, fighting the urge to grab the man by the throat, watch him struggle for breath and slowly die, "You're a fawning little toady with delusions of grandeur. You are a murderer and a child-abuser. You are a cancer upon CHRONOS, and I intend to do everything in my power to have you removed."

Gelpess gasped and all the blood drained from Makishima's face. Genzo then turned crimson with rage, but he didn't dare threaten Lord Purgstall's right-hand man, "I-I don't understand . . ."

"It's really quite simple," Czyvek walked past the stunned human, "Go to Hell."

Gelpess hurried after Czyvek, while Dyme went his way. Makishima began violently cursing under his breath.

"Man, that was _crazy_, Mick." Ken whispered.

"RHIP. Rank has Its Privileges."

In one of the many security centers within Max Pharmaceuticals/CHRONOS Headquarters, Makishima Agito watched the exchange on a sentry cam, and allowed himself a rare smile.

The End.


End file.
